Belgium’s special forces boarded and seized an oil tanker from the “shadow fleet” Russia uses to circumvent Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine, the government said on Sunday.
Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said the vessel was intercepted in the North Sea during an overnight operation.
“Today, a vessel from Russia’s shadow fleet was intercepted in the North Sea,” Prevot wrote on X, thanking Belgian special forces for their “exceptional professionalism and courage”.
Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said the intercepted tanker was “being escorted to the port of Zeebrugge, where it will be seized”.
Prosecutors identified the ship, which was said to be on its way back to Russia, as the “Ethera”.
The tanker flew the flag of Guinea, but an on-board inspection confirmed suspicion that it was sailing under a false flag, they said.
“Ship documents were found that are suspected of being false,” the federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement, adding that authorities have opened a criminal investigation.
“If a ship sails under a false flag, this means that it does not comply with several international regulations,” the statement added.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on X that French naval forces assisted in the operation, calling it a “major blow” to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”.
Russia has used a flotilla of ageing tankers of opaque ownership to get around restrictions on its lucrative crude exports imposed over its 2022 all-out invasion of Ukraine.
The European Union has blacklisted hundreds of vessels in a bid to sap Moscow’s war chest.
“Sanctions only matter if they are enforced. Today, we enforced them,” Prevot, who is also Belgium’s deputy prime minister, said.
The operation was carried out alongside Belgium’s G7, Nordic and Baltic partners and in coordination with France, he added.
Sanctions aimed at limiting Moscow’s revenues used to pursue its war have shut out many tankers carrying Russian oil from Western insurance and shipping systems.
Over the past few hours, our armed forces, with the support of the French Defence, have boarded an oil tanker belonging to the Russian shadow fleet. The vessel is currently being escorted to the port of Zeebrugge, where it will be seized.
Operation Blue Intruder was carried out… pic.twitter.com/b9MrZN1Pq3
— Theo Francken (@FranckenTheo) March 1, 2026
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga welcomed the seizure.
“Such resolute and justified action is required to deprive Russia of resources to continue its aggression and war crimes against Ukraine,” he wrote on X.
“We urge all partners to follow this example, counter Russia’s shadow fleet resolutely through sanctions and concrete action, and advance peace through strength.”
Some experts and political leaders also suspect “shadow fleet” vessels of carrying out sabotage, as part of a “hybrid war” by Russia against Western countries.
In February, it was revealed that two employees of a Russian private security company were aboard another suspected Russian “shadow fleet” tanker seized by France in September.
The two men were employed by Moran Security Group, a Russian private security company, and were tasked with monitoring the crew and gathering intelligence, a source with knowledge of the matter told AFP.
French forces boarded another suspected Russian tanker, the Grinch, in January.
Coup dur pour la flotte fantôme : en Mer du Nord, nos hélicoptères de la Marine nationale ont contribué cette nuit à l’arraisonnement par les forces belges d’un pétrolier sous sanctions internationales.
Les Européens sont déterminés à couper les sources de financement… pic.twitter.com/7SnBY8ZaaR
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 1, 2026
